Early Childhood Center Programs

• Children under age 3 attend the Parent Infant Program (PIP) where they participate in a combination of in-school playgrounds, home visits and individual speech and auditory therapy sessions.
• Three and four-year-old children attend a child-centered, full-day preschool program. This program is based on the belief that knowledge is actively constructed by children through their own actions and experiences.
• Five-to six-year-olds participate in a full-day kindergarten program incorporates a more formal curriculum, focusing on learning experiences in reading, math, science, language arts, social studies, art and drama. Preschoolers and kindergartners also have the opportunity to participate in gym, library, deaf studies, and ASL story time.

The Early Childhood Center provides an environment that is rich in learning opportunities, and linguistically accessible to all of our students. The goal is for children and their parents to learn, use and understand American Sign Language. Immediate exposure to accessible language is key for the development of future skills. Each child's communication needs are assessed individually.

For hard of hearing children or for deaf children with cochlear implants, spoken English is appropriately incorporated into the program. Research shows us that early exposure to sign language promotes more rapid development of spoken language for deaf children who are able to make use of technology, whether it be digital hearing aids or cochlear implants. Support services include speech and language therapy by certified speech pathologists, audiologists, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and consultation by psychologists and social workers. Spoken English classes and activities are designed to meet each child's communication needs.

For students for whom learning is more challenging, we adapt our programming accordingly. Whether a child's limitation are physical, cognitive, or social/emotional, each student is given the opportunity to access the curriculum to the best of his/her ability with the support of a multidisciplinary team including ABA specialists where appropriate. Reduced student/staff ratios assist in individualizing programs for each learner.

Parental Involvement is an integral part of our early childhood programs. Parent and/or caregivers are active participants in playgrounds and home visits in our PIP program. We recognize and respect that the most important learning environment for children during their first three years is the one created at home. Our preschool teachers can make home visits to families on a regular basis and parental observation and participation in the classroom is also scheduled on a regular basis. Regular classroom observations and meetings with teachers continue in kindergarten. Parents are also invited to attend a weekly support and informational group.